Paws & Reflect
Understanding Pet Behavior
So you just brought home your new pet. Congratulations! Much joy and excitement lie ahead as you bond with your new best friend.
Just as it is important to know what food to give your pet, or how much exercise they need, it is important to understand their behavior. Animals have emotions just like people do, but they show them differently than us. When we understand what our pets are trying to say, we can make their time with us more comfortable.
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Read below to learn how dogs and cats show their emotions. Then, take the quiz at the bottom of this page to check how much you learned!
Relaxed
When a dog is relaxed, they commonly have a soft muscle tone over their entire body. This means that their muscles are relaxed, rather than tense. Their eyelids are droopy, and their ears hang easily by their head. Their tail is either held loosely or wagging gently—not tucked into their body.
Alert
An alert dog has a more moderate muscle tone. Their eyelids become more open, and their ears prick up. Their tail is held still. They often look at what they are paying attention to, and close their mouth if they were previously panting.
Friendly
When a dog feels friendly, they have a soft muscle tone and hold their head neutrally—not very high nor low near their chest. Their tail sticks out straight out or is held high, and may wag quickly. Their eyes and ears will be more active than in a relaxed dog.
Fearful
A scared dog has a firm muscle tone, which tightens as the dog becomes more fearful. Their eyes are open wide, and their ears are held down and to the back of their head. They keep their mouth closed shut. Their posture is backward-leaning or crouched, with their head held low and their haunches held high. Their tail is either held close to their body or tucked between their legs, possibly wagging. They may tremble, lick their lips and nose, or yawn. As the dog becomes more fearful, you may be able to see the white of their eyes—this is called whale eye. At high levels of fear, dogs open their mouth wide, showing all of their teeth. They may scream.
Aggressive
An angry dog also has a firm muscle tone, which tightens as the dog becomes more aggressive. Their eyes are also open wide, glaring at what they are aggressive toward, but their ears are held up and forward. Their eyebrows furrow and become prominent, and their muzzle wrinkles as it tightens. They keep their mouth closed shut. Their posture leans forward, with their head and tail held high. They may wag their tail slowly. As the dog becomes more aggressive, they open their mouth just enough for you to view their incisors and canines. They often growl simultaneously. Only at the highest levels of aggression will a dog open their mouth fully.
Relaxed
When a cat is relaxed, they commonly have a soft muscle tone over their entire body. This means that their muscles are relaxed, rather than tense. Their eyes are soft and their eyelids are droopy, and their ears sit balanced on their head. Their tail is held loosely. It may swish back and forth very gently.
Alert
An alert cat has a slight-to-moderate muscle tone. Their eyelids become more open, and their ears focus on what they are paying attention to, even if they are looking away. They either hold their tail still, or allow the tip of the tail to wag.
Friendly
When a cat feels friendly, they have a soft muscle tone and hold their tail high. The tip of their tail may curve. They may walk beside you and nudge you with their head or body.
Fearful
A scared cat has a firm muscle tone, which tightens as the cat becomes more fearful. Their eyelids are open wide, but may also narrow as they become more fearful. Their ears are held down, pointing either sideways or toward the back of the head. They keep their mouth closed shut. Their posture is backward-leaning, with their head held low and their back rounded, or crouched, to appear as small as possible. Their tail is held close to their body. At the highest level of fear, a cat may assume the “Halloween cat” position, by rounding their back and bristling their fur, especially over the tail. They also may open their mouth to hiss. Hissing is indicative of fear, not aggression.
Aggressive
An angry cat also has a firm muscle tone, which tightens as the cat becomes more aggressive. Their eyes are also open wide, glaring at what they are aggressive toward, but their ears are held up and forward. Their muzzle and whiskers are also pushed forward. They keep their mouth closed shut, but open their mouths as they become more aggressive to display their teeth or growl. Their posture leans forward, with their head level to the rest of their body. Their tail is held low or straight out. The tip wagging indicates low levels of aggression, a lashing tail indicates moderate levels of aggression, and a still tail (coupled with other signs of high aggression) indicates an incoming attack.
Congratulations! You've just learned the basics of dog and cat behavior. Watch for the signs above in your new pet, respond accordingly, and witness your human-animal bond grow even deeper. The best parts of having a pet are yet to come!
Take the quiz below to test your new knowledge, or read the "About Me" section to learn about the author of this page.
About Me
Former Girl Scout Aaliyah Cooper (Troop #30518) created this educational site as a part of earning her Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve. Raised in Sterling, MA, she gained a passion for pet behavior and animal welfare after studying veterinary science at her trade high school. Currently, Aaliyah is an undergraduate at Brown University majoring in environmental studies. She likes to think she's missed by her childhood cat, Thomas.
